Jail for Albany man caught with meth worth $13k during vehicle search with alleged co-offender

An Albany man who was in possession of methamphetamine with a street value of $13,000 has been jailed for more than two years. Thomas James Caddy was sentenced to 30 months behind bars in Albany District Court earlier this month after he and an alleged co-offender were caught with 13.3g of methamphetamine worth $13,000 when police searched his vehicle in Mt Barker. Police also found $5260 in cash inside the 31-year-old’s wallet, which they alleged to be the proceeds of drug sales. Caddy pleaded guilty to possession of meth with intent to sell or supply, and one count of being in possession of unlawfully obtained money. He was also charged with failing to obey a data access order when he refused to give police his phone password. State prosecutor Edward Fitzpatrick told the court police conducted the vehicle search on Albany Highway in Mt Barker at 7.30am on August 14 last year. The State described him as a “user-dealer”. “Police also located two sets of electronic scales, cutting agents and several empty clip seal bags, which obviously indicates drug dealing,” Mr Fitzpatrick said. Judge Linda Petrusa said the reduced availability of drugs during COVID-19 made Caddy’s crime more serious. Defence counsel Roisin Keating told the court at the time of the offending, her client was in a dysfunctional and chaotic period of his life. Caddy was on parole for similar drug-related offending when he relapsed into drug use, she said. Ms Keating said Caddy withdrew funds from his superannuation to buy the meth. “Mr Caddy wasn’t involved in some widespread, ongoing commercial distribution of drugs,” she said. “This was a one-off occurrence, albeit it’s accepted it’s a serious one,” she said. In her sentencing remarks, Judge Petrusa said as a grown man, Caddy should know better. “You don’t have the benefit of youth any more,” she said. “The law says by the time you get to your 30s you really need to appreciate right from wrong.” Caddy’s prison term was backdated to November 27, when he was placed in custody. He will be eligible for parole after serving 15 months. His alleged co-accused has pleaded not guilty to possession of meth and is set to appear in Albany District Court in September 7.